Role of Women Cooperative in Agricultural Development: (A Study of Women Cooperative Members in Awka South)

This paper dwelt on the role of women cooperative in agricultural development focusing on Awka south local government area of Anambra state. Sixty-five (65) farmer members were randomly selected from six women cooperative in the area. In this research, descriptive analytical method was used to investigate the specific objectives. They include descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution table, percentage, mean and standard deviation. For the hypothesis posed, t-test or t statistics was used to draw if there is any significant effect of the cooperative roles on the members output. Likert scale analysis was used to examine the perception of members on how cooperative functionsactivities such as input supply, marketing and processing have brought about an enhancement to their economic well-being as represented by output. The researcher found out that women cooperative in the area has played significant role in marketing and processing of their members agricultural produce. The effect of the cooperative functionsactivities (input supply, marketing and processing) has significantly improved the income and standard of living of the women farmer member of cooperative in the area. Women cooperative are encouraged to process and market their member' agricultural produce since it has strong significant effect on their member' income, and also provide credit and improved varieties of inputs to their members at appropriate time to enhance their productivity. On the other hand, government should aid those women cooperative in the area by giving them loan and grants to boost their productivity and also construct a good road network for easy evacuation of their produce to the cities where they will attract more income to the members of women cooperative. Okafor Ogochukwu Esther | Okafor Patronila Ifeoma | Uzondu Chikodiri Scholastica"Role of Women Cooperative in Agricultural Development: (A Study of Women Cooperative Members in Awka South)" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-2 | Issue-5 , August 2018, URL: http://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd15925.pdf http://www.ijtsrd.com/management/business-economics/15925/role-of-women-cooperative-in-agricultural-development-a-study-of-women-cooperative-members-in-awka-south/okafor-ogochukwu-esther